Speakers / Topics: Innovation | Creativity | Disruption
Innovation & Creativity Speakers
Creativity: where ideas are spawned. Innovation: where ideas are put into action. Disruption: when ideas change the world as we know it. Our speakers explain how to get creative juices flowing, how to innovate to stay ahead, and prepare you for the disruptive forces at work in your industry and beyond.
Second City Works
Entertainment | Improv
After hundreds of thousands of years of research, the results are in: people like to laugh. Part of world famous comedy institution The Second City, Second City Works brings award-winning, boring-proof, improv-based social learning to events, ceremonies, funct...
The Passing Zone
Keynote Jugglers
The Passing Zone is one of the most successful and sought-after corporate acts working today who can keynote, provide entertainment, and/or host and emcee an event. Most importantly, they promise to provide you with an unexpected, unique, and fresh performance...
Terry O’Reilly
Host of CBC Radio's Under the Influence
Terry O’Reilly is the familiar voice behind the hit CBC radio shows O’Reilly on Advertising, The Age of Persuasion, and his current program, Under the Influence, where he explores the business, the craft, and the promise of promotion. In his intriguing tal...
Nilofer Merchant
Former Tech Executive | Bestselling Author
Nilofer Merchant is a renowned business strategist and innovator on a mission to reinvent work so that it actually works. A bestselling author, TED mainstage speaker, and recipient of the “Future Thinker” Award from Thinkers 50, Merchant says few companies...
Josh Linkner
Award-Winning Entrepreneur | Creativity Expert
Josh Linkner personifies innovation, entrepreneurship, and breakthrough disruption. Beginning his career as a jazz guitarist, Josh has now been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of more than $200 million. Through his i...
Avinash Kaushik
Web Analytics Master
Avinash Kaushik is the “Digital Marketing Evangelist” for Google. His passions lie at the intersection of marketing, analytics and artificial intelligence, and he has developed innovative frameworks like “See-Think-Do-Care”, which allow senior...
Lawrence Hill
Bestselling Author, The Book of Negroes
Commonwealth Writers’ Prize winner and bestselling author of The Book of Negroes, Lawrence Hill speaks as well as he writes. With engrossing, poignant talks on diverse topics such as channeling creative energy, censorship, racial identity, mental health, an...
Adrian Gostick
Bestselling Leadership Author | Organizational Culture Expert
How do today’s best leaders accelerate business results? By engaging their employees to execute on strategy, vision, and values. In his challenging, information-packed talks, #1 bestselling leadership author Adrian Gostick provides real solutions on managing...
Richard Florida
Renowned Economist | Bestselling Author
Richard Florida is one of the world’s most sought after speakers on global trends, economics, prosperity, competitiveness, and growth. Combining in-depth analysis, a fascinating personal story, and a touch of self-deprecating humor, it’s no wonder he was n...
Emmanuel Gobillot
Internationally Renowned Leadership Expert
There must be a better way. That’s the motto Emmanuel Gobillot has adopted toward everything he does. As one of the world’s most popular speakers, consultants, and thought-leaders, Gobillot believes there is a better way to lead, relate to customers, and e...
Chester Elton
Bestselling Leadership Author
Called the “Apostle of appreciation” by the Globe and Mail, Canada’s largest newspaper, and “creative and refreshing‚” by the New York Times, Chester Elton is co-author of several successful leadership books. All In, The Carrot Principle and What M...
Ilona Dougherty
Leading Expert on Millennials and Generation Z | Social Entrepreneur
For businesses, organizations, and governments striving to succeed in the innovation economy, and anyone who hopes for a bright future, Ilona Dougherty’s perspective is what you have been waiting for. Ilona Dougherty is an award winning social innovator and ...
Ben Casnocha
Entrepreneur | Co-Author of The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age
Ben Casnocha is an award-winning entrepreneur and author from Silicon Valley. BusinessWeek named him”one of America’s top young entrepreneurs,” while PoliticsOnline called him one of the “25 most influential people in the world of inter...
Bill Carr
Communication Expert | Award-Winning Humourist
For over twenty-five years, Bill Carr has been making people laugh at what’s trivial while helping them think deeply about what counts. His unique blend of humour and insight inspires laughter and helps people see their world with a fresh perspective. An awa...
Roberta Bondar
Astronaut | Physician | Scientist | Photographer
The first Canadian woman and neurologist to fly in space, Dr. Roberta Bondar is globally recognized for her pioneering contributions to space medicine research, fine art photography, and environment education. She expanded the horizons of millions when she joi...
Nora Young
Host of CBC Radio’s Spark | Author of The Virtual Self
Nora Young is an informed and ideal guide for anyone looking to examine — and plan for — the ever-changing, high-tech landscape. As the host and creator of Spark, CBC’s national radio show and podcast about technology and culture, and the author of The V...
Max Valiquette
Innovation, Transformation, and Marketing Expert
For over twenty years, Max Valiquette has been at the forefront of what’s now, what’s new, and what’s next. Anointed by Marketing Magazine as one of Canada’s “most influential Marketers,” Max has worked with some of the biggest companies in the wor...
Ron Tite
Purpose-Driven Leadership and Marketing Expert
Relevant, engaging, and interactive, Ron Tite exceeds expectations each and every time he takes the stage. Named one of the “Top 10 Creative Canadians” by Marketing Magazine, he’s been an award-winning advertising writer and creative director for some of...
Simon Sinek
Renowned Leadership Expert | Author of Start With Why and The Infinite Game
Simon Sinek is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people, with a bold goal to help bu...
Peter Sheahan
International Expert on Leveraging Business Trends and New Market Opportunities
Peter Sheahan is internationally known for his innovative business thinking and thought leadership. A highly successful entrepreneur, he is the founder and CEO of Karrikins Group, a multi-million-dollar consulting practice which attracts clients such as Apple,...
Bob McDonald
Host of CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks
Bob McDonald is one of Canada’s best-known science journalists, bringing science to the public for more than 40 years. In addition to hosting Quirks & Quarks, the award-winning science program with a national audience of nearly 500,000 people, McDona...
Mitch Joel
Business Transformation and Digital Marketing Expert
When brands like Google, Starbucks, Shopify, and GE want to use technology to better connect with their consumers, they call Mitch Joel. Called “one of North America’s leading visionaries” by Strategy magazine, Joel fills in the gaps to help leaders buil...
Bruce Croxon
Former "Dragon" | Host, The Disruptors | Partner, Round13 Capital
Bruce Croxon wants to invest in the next Canadian wave. The co-founder of the wildly successful dating site Lavalife, and a former “Dragon” on CBC TV’s Dragons’ Den, Bruce shares informed insights into what it takes to succeed in today’s demanding en...
Leonard Brody
Business and Technology Visionary
Recently named one of the top 30 up and coming management thinkers in the world, Leonard Brody is known as “a leader of the new world order”. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, bestselling author, and a two-time Emmy-nominated media v...
Dr. Nick Bontis
Leading Strategy and Management Expert
The “knowledge era” is here. Do you know how to survive? An internationally recognized intellectual-capital expert, Dr. Nick Bontis helps individuals and organizations navigate the new world of digital technology, industry disruption, and information bomba...
Mike Mandel
Expert in Communication, Motivation and Influence
Self-described as “a reasonably normal guy with a really weird job,” Mike Mandel is a uniquely qualified expert in the art and science of influential communication. Simultaneously fascinating and hilarious, he provides audiences with powerful tools to spar...
Greg Lindsay
Expert on Cities, Mobility, Travel, Trade, and the Future of Work
Greg Lindsay is literally a man on the street, reporting from the intersection of global trends and local wisdom. Widely cited as an expert on the future of travel, technology, and transportation, on the design and resiliency of cities, and on how to create mo...
Michael Kerr
“The Workplace Energizer”
Why choose between humour and relevant, practical content when you can have both? Michael Kerr is one of North America’s leading authorities on fostering innovative and inspiring workplace cultures. His presentations — known for their practical and inspiri...
Sarah Kay
Spoken-Word Poet
Sarah Kay uses the power of spoken word to inspire creativity and self-empowerment in others. In her famous TED talk–a talk that inspired two standing ovations and has been seen by over seven million people online–she tells the story of her metamor...
Jesse Brown
Digital Media Expert | Disruptive Journalist | Futurist
What does the future hold for Canada? Are our institutions and economy at odds with rapid technological and cultural change? Are we keeping up? From business to government to media, disruption is here. Technology and media expert Jesse Brown explains the chall...
David Ben
Creativity Expert | Master Magician
David Ben inspires people to strike the word “impossible” from their vocabulary. A master problem-solver, David uses his training as a former tax lawyer, a graduate of the London School of Economics, and a world-class magician to make perplexing problems i...